Football club expands dementia coffee mornings

Lauren Revill at Ipswich Town's Foundation said they had been selling out their Golden Days Cafe sessions

A coffee morning that provides a safe space for those living with and affected by dementia is expanding after proving successful.

Ipswich Town Football Club Foundation's Golden Days Cafe, which launched in 2022, is hosted in the Hall of Fame restaurant at Portman Road stadium each month.

After launching another cafe in Bury St Edmunds in 2023, the foundation is expanding again by offering another session per month at Portman Road.

Lauren Revill, health and inclusion co-ordinator at the foundation, said they had been selling out sessions.

"Due to population of numbers we've had to expand," she explained.

"It's very important because at our cafes we have different support services come down to speak to the carers, but also those living with dementia.

"We have ex-players come down as well, it's great to see the participants with dementia recognise them straight away."

The Portman Road session is held on the first Thursday of the month while the Bury St Edmunds session, at Bury Town Football Club, is on the third Wednesday of every month.

Ms Revill said the additional session at Portman Road would take place on the first Monday of every month starting in January.

Theresa Steward said the sessions enabled her to speak with her carers for support while she had noticed her parents had "come out of their shells"

Theresa Steward, along with her sister, cares for her mother and father, who both have dementia, and she brings them to the sessions.

"The reason why we come is because it's quality time together," she said.

"With caring you're busy sorting things out, taking them various places, but here it is quality time, socially enjoying ourselves together, but also meeting loads of different people.

"The connection with Ipswich Town is important, especially for my dad because he's always been a big fan and he had to give up his season ticket, so this was a way of keeping that connection with Ipswich Town."

Ex-Ipswich Town player John Peddelty regularly came down to the sessions

Players and ex-players attend and speak with participants including John Peddelty, who joined the club in 1971 and played until 1976.

"It's getting the community out and down here," he said.

"A lot of people have memories... like today a couple of people have said, 'Ah you're John — you used to kick people didn't you?'.

"You think that's great that they do remember you. As long as we can help, that's the main thing really."